Reflections from the Very Reverend Vivienne Faull
Last Wednesday we were joined for Evening Prayer by Rebecca, who is taking part in the current Jarrow March to London. The marchers, who are campaigning to raise awareness of youth unemployment, were hosted by the Indian Workers Association and the University of Leicester. Rebecca has just got a job, so we rejoiced with her, and I told her about the work of Lewis Donaldson who was vicar of St Mark’s Church, Leicester from 1896 to 1918 and was renowned for his leading role in the Leicester "March of the Unemployed" to London in 1905. She thought she was the only Christian in the group, and was glad to hear about the radical Leicester Anglican tradition
Meanwhile we watched news of those creating an encampment outside St Paul’s for protesters against capitalist greed and current economic inequality and heard how the Chapter has had to close the cathedral as it can no longer safely offer hospitality both to the protesters and to other tourists and worshippers. Across the world on Wall Street New York Trinity Church is providing space for reflection and rest to campaigners, and theological students from Union Seminary have joined the protest a chaplains.
When I was growing up in Liverpool, a city then still scarred by war damage and suffering terrible ecomonic deprivation, a protestor daubed these words a yard high on the walls of Liverpool Cathedral: ‘Christ was poor and homeless: two thirds of humanity starves’ . The Dean, Edward Patey, decided to leave the graffitti, despite disapproving of the illegitimate action, as a visual reminder of the anbuguity of cathedral life (and of a Dean’s position). He asked (via Radio Merseyside) to speak to the anonymous writer, but got no response. Edward would later play a key role in beginning the rebuilding of relatiosnhips and buildings after the Toxteth riots.
So what is Leicester Cathedral up to in all this? The current protests have passed us by, and we are anyway more inclined to practical rather than political action. So in our lay staff team of 12 we have created a job for a recent graduate and now Hannah has joined us as an apprentice in Business Administration. The visit of Bishops Stanley and Isaiah from the Dioceses of Mount Kilimanjaro and Kiteto in recent weeks have been a sharp reminder of continuing global poverty. Bishop Stanley has no transport to get around his Diocese, the size of Engalnd and Wales. Bishop Isaih’s new cathedral has no altar or chairs. It was also a reminder of the profound faith of these Anglicans, and many left the cathedral rejoicing. The Cathedral Community has been prompted into creating a stronger international bond. At the same time we have a focus closer to Leicester. We are planning a Christmas ‘lunch with a difference’ will raise funds for and awareness of the increasing needs of street sleepers which have risen from 5 to 50 in two years as part of the work of our new Donaldson outreach Centre.
© The Very Reverend Vivienne Faull, Dean of Leicester